Screenshots

Capture a visual snapshot of any client site on demand. Spot defaced pages, broken layouts, or unexpected changes at a glance.

How it works

SiteBrief uses a headless browser to load your client's site and capture a full-page screenshot. The screenshot is stored and displayed in the site detail page so you can visually verify the site looks correct — without opening a browser tab yourself.

Property	Value
Viewport width	1280 px (desktop)
Browser	Headless Chromium
Wait time	Page load + network idle (up to 10 seconds)
JavaScript	Fully executed (renders SPA / dynamic content)
Scroll	Full-page screenshot (captures below the fold)

When to take a screenshot

After a deployment — visually confirm the site looks right before telling the client
After a CMS update — verify the theme, plugins, or content didn't break the layout
When you suspect a problem — site is returning 200 but something seems off
For client reports — include a visual of the site at a specific point in time
Random spot-checks — periodically confirm a site hasn't been defaced or hacked

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Tip:Screenshots are especially valuable for catching defacements— when a hacked site replaces the homepage with an attacker's message. The site may still return HTTP 200, but the screenshot reveals the problem immediately.

How to take a screenshot

Open the site detail page and scroll to the Screenshotpanel. Click "Take screenshot". The panel will show a spinner while the screenshot is being captured (usually 10–15 seconds). Once done, the full-page screenshot appears in the panel with a timestamp.

The timestamp of the most recent screenshot is always shown — so you know if the screenshot is from today or from 3 weeks ago.

Screenshots vs. uptime monitoring

Screenshots complement uptime monitoring — they don't replace it:

Uptime monitoring	Screenshots
Runs automatically every 1–5 min	On-demand only
Detects if site is down	Shows what the site looks like
No visual output	Full visual output
Catches HTTP errors instantly	Catches visual problems (defacement, broken layout)
Checks 24/7	Captures a moment in time

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Note:A site can return HTTP 200 while showing completely wrong content (hacked homepage, blank page, maintenance message). Screenshots catch these cases that uptime monitoring misses.

Frequently asked questions

Does the screenshot capture content below the fold?

Yes. SiteBrief captures the full page height, not just the visible viewport. For very long pages, the screenshot can be several screens tall.

The screenshot shows a cookie consent banner covering the page — can I dismiss it?

Not automatically. Cookie consent banners are captured as-is since they're part of the live site. For a cleaner screenshot, dismiss the banner manually in your browser and compare with what SiteBrief captures.

My site requires login — will the screenshot show the logged-in state?

No. Screenshots are taken without any authentication. The screenshot will show whatever an anonymous visitor sees — the login page or homepage.

How long are screenshots stored?

Screenshots are stored until you take a new one (each site keeps only the most recent screenshot). Previous screenshots are not retained.

Does taking a screenshot count against my site's uptime stats?

No. Screenshots are independent of uptime checks and don't affect your uptime percentage or response time data.

The screenshot is blank / all white — why?

This usually means the page requires JavaScript to render content (SPA) and the JS didn't finish loading within the timeout, or the page returned an error. Check the site's uptime status first — if it's down, that explains the blank screenshot.